Cocky
by redrider6612
Summary: Why exactly does Booth wear that buckle? Brennan's curiosity gets her more than she bargained for. Just a fluffy, steamy little one shot.


Booth stood up and stretched and her eyes were drawn to his belt buckle. She decided to ask a question that had been bothering her for some time now.

"What does that mean?"

He put his hands on his hips and frowned in puzzlement. "What?"

"'Cocky'."

He looked down and fingered his belt buckle, then looked back up at her. "You don't know what 'cocky' means? A genius like you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I know what it means. I just don't know why you wear it."

Grinning cheekily, he put his hands on his hips. "Gordon Gordon says it's a statement about my self-confidence."

Frowning, she thought about that. "You feel the need to broadcast your self-confidence?"

"Not the need, really, I just…I like it."

"Why?"

He sighed. Here we go. "Think of it as a conversation piece."

She shifted her weight and cocked her head, staring at the piece in question. He was starting to get uncomfortable. "You like wearing a conversation piece right _there_?"

"What's wrong with that?"

His defensive tone brought her eyes up to meet his. "Nothing, I guess. But to me, it hints at an underlying insecurity. A sexually confident man wouldn't need to call attention to his self-confidence."

"Sex? Wait, why are you bringing sex into it?" Definitely uncomfortable now.

"The location of the 'conversation piece' naturally brings sex into the equation," she said logically.

"Where else would I wear a belt buckle?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.

"Why a belt buckle? Why not a lapel pin? Or a pair of socks?"

"I didn't find a lapel pin or a pair of socks with 'cocky' on them. I found the belt buckle."

Her lips twitched with amusement. "I just think it's significant that you chose a 'cocky' belt buckle. Perhaps there are certain…shortcomings you're trying to compensate for?" she teased.

His spine stiffened in affront. "Now, hold on, there are no shortcomings. You can ask anyone I've been with…" he blustered, trailing off as her grin widened. "We are _not_ discussing this!"

She shrugged, struggling to suppress her laughter. "Fine. I was just curious, but if you don't want to talk about it…"

He stepped close to her and her laughter died as her startled eyes locked with his suddenly serious ones. "How about I show you?" he whispered, his hands catching her elbows.

"Sh-show me?" Her stomach flip-flopped at his touch.

Her breathing hitched at the warm intimacy in his eyes. His voice was low and deep. "Yeah. Why I'm cocky. Haven't you ever wondered…?"

Her mouth went slack as her brain tried to catch up with his sudden mood change. "No…." she spoke the only word that came to mind.

"Never?" he asked as his face slowly came closer.

Her eyes began to drift shut as his nearness scattered her thoughts. Then she felt his warm breath against her lips and her eyes flew wide. "Booth…?"

"Shut up, Bones," he muttered before his lips touched hers.

Thoughts zinged through her brain as her senses spun. He was kissing her! Booth, her _partner_ and _friend_, was kissing her like she was the best thing he'd ever tasted. His lips sipped at hers, coaxing a response. A sigh marked her surrender and she relaxed against him.

He groaned and pulled her close. She clutched at his shoulders as he bent her back over his arm. His tongue ran the seam of her lips and she opened up, swirling her tongue across his, completely blowing away the last shreds of his self-control. His hands molded her tight to him and her arms snaked up around his neck, pulling him tighter against her. The kisses went on, each melting into the next one as their passions built.

Suddenly Booth broke away, pulling back to look at her with a dazed look, his breathing ragged. A moment later he set her away from him and put his hands in his back pockets, half turning aside. Fighting to stay standing on wobbly knees, Brennan drew a shaky breath and he looked at her expectantly.

"Anyway, so…that settles it, right?" he asked huskily when it was clear she hadn't regained the ability to speak.

She licked her lips, drawing his eyes to her mouth, and she nodded. When she finally spoke, her voice was like satin over sand. "Yeah…definitely…without a doubt."

"Good. Well, I've…gotta go," he said slowly, telling himself as much as he was telling her, as his eyes locked with hers. "See ya Monday?"

Nodding mutely, she stood there as every fiber of her being yearned to take up where they had left off. He finally tore his gaze away from her and forced himself to move. As he reached for the door, she finally spoke in a low mutter. He stopped even though it was clear she wasn't talking to him.

"Damn. I'll never be able to look at that belt buckle again."

A wry smile twisted his lips and he made himself reach for the doorknob. There would be time enough to pursue that interesting avenue of thought later. He shut the door behind him so she wouldn't hear him laugh, and started whistling softly as he headed for his car.


End file.
